Kaiketsu Jouki Tanteidan (1998) — Story, Release Date, Rating

Synopsis:

Set in the industrialized metropolis of Steam City, a sprawling urban landscape powered entirely by coal and steam, the anime follows the unconventional Steam Detectives. Perpetual mist hangs heavy over the city, a byproduct of its reliance on steam technology, often concealing nefarious activities. Narutaki, a resourceful investigator armed with unique weaponry, leads his team – the efficient nurse-assistant Lingling and the formidable Megamaton robot Gohliki – into the obscured districts where danger lurks.

The series explores themes of societal disparity within a technologically advanced world, examining how progress can create vulnerabilities exploited by those seeking to operate in the shadows. The narrative focuses on solving mysteries that often require navigating the city's complex infrastructure and confronting those who thrive in the mist-shrouded underbelly of Steam City. It blends elements of detective work with steampunk aesthetics, offering a character-driven exploration of justice in an unusual setting.

Characters:

Hsu, Ling Ling (Main) - Voice Actors: Taguchi, Hiroko, Bauman, Meg
Narutaki (Main) - Voice Actors: Hoshi, Souichirou, Meyer, Josh
Burn, Grammy (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Webster, Ken
Crimson Scorpion (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Yokoyama, Chisa, Gallardo, Laurie
Doria (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Suyama, Akio, Smith, Doug
Dr. Guilty (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Nishimura, Tomomichi, Neal, Edwin
Dr. Kitmer (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Jones, David
Dr. Mayerd (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Jones, Judson
Edogawa, Lily (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Kakazu, Yumi, Nichols, Elia
Gina (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Horie, Yui, Schwartz, Jessica
Goriki (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Suzuki, Takuma, MacNee, Atreidies
Highend, Anna (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Neya, Michiko, Kafka, Heather
Hsu, Lang Lang (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Nagasawa, Miki, Wolcott, Larissa
Jimothy (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Bartholomee, Lowell
Justice (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Wickerham, Ryan
Kawakubo (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Cho, Rudie, Robert
King, Steam (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Wickerham, Ryan
Le Bled (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Kusao, Takeshi, Haddock, Gray
Machine Baron (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Wakamoto, Norio, R. Jarrott, David
Marian (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Koorogi, Satomi, Helmer, Paige
Narrator (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Kubota, Hitoshi, Campbell, Charles, Parish, Kerry J.
Night Phantom (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Ootsuka, Akio, Jepson, Brian
Onigawara (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Tobita, Nobuo, Blacker, Martin
Pasta (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Smith, Doug
Police Chief (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Campbell, Charles
Rilabell (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Wolcott, Larissa
Shao (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Schwartz, Jessica
Shao's Father (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Campbell, Charles
Shao's Mother (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Carrillo, Elena
Stoneriver, Elsy (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Smith, Doug
Yagami (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Nagasako, Takashi, Campbell, Charles

Staff:

Campbell, Charles (Producer, ADR Director)
Habara, Nobuyoshi (Producer, Director, Episode Director, Key Animation)
Ikeda, Shinichi (Producer)
Murayama, Kiyoshi (Director, Episode Director, Script, Storyboard)
Tanaka, Hideyuki (Sound Director)
Ikehata, Takashi (Episode Director, Storyboard)
Kusaka, Naoyoshi (Episode Director, Storyboard)
Nogami, Kazuo (Episode Director, Storyboard)
Ochi, Kazuhiro (Episode Director, Storyboard, Animation Director, Key Animation)
Sugitani, Kouichi (Episode Director)
Amiya, Masaharu (Script)
Araki, Kenichi (Script)
Kato, Takao (Storyboard)
Takami, Akio (Storyboard, Character Design, Key Animation, Animation Director)
Watanabe, Shinichi (Storyboard)
Yokota, Kazu (Storyboard)
Yoshinaga, Naoyuki (Storyboard)
Riki, Arai (Theme Song Composition, Theme Song Arrangement)
elika (Theme Song Performance, Theme Song Lyrics, Inserted Song Performance)
Arai, Jun (Key Animation)
Arakawa, Naruhisa (Series Composition)
Asamiya, Kia (Original Creator)
Asano, Kyouji (Key Animation)
Chino, Takatoshi (Production Manager)
Egami, Natsuki (Animation Director)
Fujii, Yukie (In-Between Animation)
Hirayama, Hidetsugu (Animation Director)
Ishii, Akiharu (Key Animation)
Ishiyama, Hiroaki (Key Animation)
Kawahara, Kumiko (In-Between Animation)
Komori, Takahiro (Key Animation)
Kouno, Toshiyuki (Animation Director)
Kubota, Chikashi (Animation Check, In-Between Animation)
Mogi, Shinjirou (In-Between Animation, Animation Check)
Morioka, Hideyuki (Key Animation)
Motohashi, Hideyuki (Animation Director)
Niino, Ryouta (Key Animation)
Oogawara, Haruo (Animation Director)
Ootsuki, Atsushi (In-Between Animation, Key Animation, Animation Check)
Osaka, Hiroshi (Key Animation)
Sakai, Kazuo (In-Between Animation)
Sekimoto, Mitsuko (Color Design)
Shouji, Masahiro (Sound Effects)
Takatsu, Yukio (Animation Director, Key Animation)
Ueda, Minoru (Key Animation)
Wada, Takaaki (Key Animation)

Reviews:

User megafat (Score: 7/10):
Steam Detectives seems to be largely forgotten by the anime viewing fanbase. Not because it’s bad by any stretch, since it seems to have a relatively small fanbase that enjoy it, but rather because it just never really stood out among the other anime coming out at the time. Especially considering that a lot of classic anime were coming out at the time, such as Cowboy Bebop and Serial Experiments Lain, along with popular cultural juggernauts such as Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, and Sailor Moon. Steam City is a city where the only fuel source is coal, and the only way to produce energy is asteam engine, thus all technological advancement involved coal in some capacity. As a result, the city is often covered in a mist, and many criminals use it to their advantage. These same advancements in technology has also given rise to Megamatons, large steam-powered robots.nnOur main character is Narutaki, a young detective who is also considered a child prodigy, who protects the city from various criminals, along with with his nurse-assistant Ling Ling, and his Megamaton robot named Gihliki.nnThe series has a lot going for it. It’s a steampunk detective show with an atmospheric noir theme to it, with a Sherlock Holmes influence, and it even has a few large robots that add some character to the series. Even the soundtrack is pretty decent. If anything, it feels like the younger brother of The Big O.nnIt’s very clearly aimed at a younger audience with it’s simple characters and plot, but it never feels insulting or like it’s talking down to it’s audience. There are reoccurring plot and characters throughout the show that actually lead to an actual conclusion and the series doesn’t really half-ass anything. The manga series that this is based on (which I actually recommend for the younger reading audience if they've taken an interest in this) was actually written by Kia Asamiya for his son, which I can respect.nnSteam Detectives might have been passed over a lot of people who were watching one of the numerous more popular shows at the time, but it’s something that I think a few people could go back and watch and enjoy on some level, and I think that more than a few kids in the intended age rage might get something out of this series.
User brad_loft (Score: 7/10):
Story: 6 Mostly episodic, but with recurring villains whos story arcs are fleshed out over the entire series. The plot is serviceable, in that you know everyones motivations, and can follow the events well. Most episodes establish their own setting/characters, the villain makes his move, and Narutaki tries to stop him. The name suggests it's a detective show, but it's more like a cop drama because Narutaki takes a very hands-on approach to catching the criminals himself while his robot Goriki fights the criminals robots. There is some detective work, but the focus of the show is definitely the confrontations between Narutaki and the criminals Art: 7 Very stylisedart that lends itself well to the steampunk theme. Heavy use of muted and earthy colours. The animation is of very respectable quality for the 90s, there's never any derp moments.nnSound: 9nnThe soundtrack for this anime is it's high point. Alot of jazzy themes, many of which include vocals. They always very appropriately fit whatever scene they're played in. I had to download the soundtrack so I could listen to it more.nnCharacter: 6nnNarutaki and the villains are all unique and very well developed. Everyone else is a bit bland. Especially the characters who only appear for 1 or 2 episodes. They're just introduced to set up the episodes plot.nnEnjoyment: 8nnIt's no masterpiece, but it is very engaging. You finish one episode and want to go to the next right away. Although it is somewhat carried by the music.nnOverall: 7nnI highly recommend it if you enjoyed any of the games in Liar Softs steampunk visual novel series as they share a very similar plot structure.

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Related Anime/Manga:

Kaiketsu Jouki Tanteidan (manga - Adaptation)

Genres: Action, Detective, Mecha, Mystery
Themes: Detective, Mecha
Studios: Xebec
Producers: Studio Tron, TV Tokyo, Yomiko Advertising
Licensors: ADV Films
Rating: 6.59 / 10
Rank: #6704
Popularity: #8629
Users Listed: 5,873
Users Scored: 1,591
NSFW: No
Last Updated: 03/15/2022
Aired: October 7, 1998 – March 31, 1999 (Fall)
Type: tv
Source: manga
Age Rating: PG 13
Episodes: 26
Broadcast: Wednesday at 18:00 (JST)

Kaiketsu Jouki Tanteidan